Legal termination of a pregnancy resulting from transplanted cryopreserved ovarian tissue

Abstract

Cryopreservation of ovarian tissue is a promising new technique for fertility preservation in patients facing gonadotoxic treatment. Ovarian tissue is extracted and cryo-stored at low temperature prior to treatment. If the woman becomes menopausal, the tissue can be transplanted and a few months later the woman will start to ovulate and be able to conceive, naturally or with assisted reproduction treatment. Currently, 12 healthy children have been born worldwide as a result of transplanting frozen/thawed ovarian tissue. Of these children 3 are Danish and a number of other Danish women are currently attempting to become pregnant. One of these women conceived naturally and had a normal intrauterine pregnancy following transplantation of cryopreserved ovarian tissue. However, the woman decided to terminate the pregnancy within the legal time frame. This pregnancy imposes cryopreservation of ovarian tissue for fertility preservation as a valid method and illustrates that personal life circumstances may rapidly change. © 2010 Informa Healthcare.